The overall objective of the project has been to investigate the immunopathologic processes involved in primary demyelinating diseases. We are continuing our work on the autoimmune model, EAE, and are developing preliminary data on the first viral model which involves Theiler's virus. Specifically we are interested in the autoimmune experimental demyelinating model because it is elicited by a well-characterized protein (in certain species a peptide) of the CNS and it has many features in common with the human demyelinating disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Our interest in the viral models centers on their ability to provide evidence in support (or denial) of the hypothesis that MS is a syndrome due to the immune response of the affected person against one or more viral infections of the central nervous system (CNS) myelin or associated components. Where applicable, information and techniques developed from the study of these models will be used to improve diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic measures in human disease. It is likely that these studies will also help to understand the immunologic processes underlying autoallergies in general, which play an important role in other human diseases.